All Around the Town
by KitchenSink5
Summary: A Dave/Elizabeth story that is NOT A ROMANCE. When a bus full of children is taken hostage and doctors are needed on scene, Dave and Elizabeth's day takes an interesting turn
1. The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round

Dr. Elizabeth Corday walked into the lounge and poured herself a cup of coffee. Taking a long sip, she leaned against the counter. It was very early on in the day, yet she was already longing to be home - warm in her bed. She wanted to go to sleep and start fresh the next day.   
  
She knew that it was impossible, so instead she finished her coffee, rinsed out her mug and put it in the sink. She quickly pulled her hair into a haphazard ponytail, and she walked out of the lounge. She went over to the front desk, where she heard Kerry, speaking on the phone. She listened in, despite her best efforts.   
  
"What's his status?" Elizabeth heard her say into the phone, "Yes - so they're allowing treatment? Good......How many do you want me to send? Okay, I'll get them to you - send the ambulance over to pick them up."   
  
Kerry hung up the phone, and turned to the crowd that had gathered. Elizabeth pretended that she was going over charts, but it was pointless. Everyone at the front desk had heard Kerry's conversation, and now looked at her with interest.   
  
"I suppose you all want to know what that was about?" Kerry paused, then continued, "There are three escaped convicts, riding on a school bus they hijacked. One man, the bus driver, was shot when they took over the bus.."   
  
"My God," Elizabeth interjected, "Are there any children on board?"   
  
"Yes" Kerry responded, "The bus has been circling all around town, with the convicts calling the shots. They've agreed to stop the bus to let off the injured man. A few of the children have a few minor injuries. Well, they need two doctors on scene. Elizabeth - you'll go?"   
  
"Yes" Elizabeth nodded   
  
"Let me see," Kerry paused as she thought "Dr. Malucci - you'll go with her. I need you two to gather up the supplies, and go out to the ambulance bay. The ambulance will be here any minute, to take you to the bus."   
  
*Dr. Malucci?*, Elizabeth thought in disgust. Suddenly, she was once again wishing that she would have stayed home. She detested the man - if you could call him a man. And she would have to work with him. She would almost rather go with Romano, than go with that self-assured pig.   
  
As he threw on his jacket, Dave walked over to Elizabeth and said, "Looks like it's just you and me, Dr. Corday."   
  
She shot him a look, as she picked up the supply bag. The two walked out to the ambulance bay, where they stood side-by-side, in silence. The silence was soon interrupted by the sound of an ambulance, as it pulled into the bay. When its doors opened, they both climbed in, and soon drove off.   
  
They pulled off into a deserted parking lot. At the end of the lot, the yellow school bus was parked. Dave, Elizabeth, and the two paramedics rushed over to the bus, and were allowed to enter. Elizabeth looked around the bus as she got on. About twenty children, from the ages four to ten, sat in the seats. Some had scrapes, bruises. All of them looked petrified - and she turned her eyes to the man lying in the aisle.   
  
She bent down beside him, and assessed his case "GSW to the lower quadrant - start an IV - two parts saline, two of atropine." They put the man on the stretcher, and the two paramedics began to take him off the bus.   
  
"We'll take him to the ambulance. You two - " the paramedic said indicating Dave and Elizabeth, "Check the kids, make sure they're okay, then we'll transport the man"   
  
"Is anyone else hurt?" Dave asked "Anything other than cuts and scrapes?" When no one responded, he turned to Elizabeth "That's it."   
  
They began to exit the bus, when a burly figure blocked their way.   
  
"No you don't. Murray - shut the door and drive." The man, obviously one of the convicts, pushed them into a seat "Sit doctors - stay awhile. It's going to be one hell of a ride."   
  
The bus door closed, and the bus was thrown into motion. 


	2. Set in Motion

It took a few seconds for Elizabeth to realize what had happened. She looked out the window and saw the ambulance in the now barren parking lot. When she could no longer see it anymore, she turned back to Dave, who had twisted around in his seat to talk to a small boy.   
  
"My arm hurts," the boy whimpered   
  
"Well, I'm going to fix that right up," Dave said and turned back to Elizabeth "Elizabeth, can you please hand me the ace bandage from the bag?"   
  
Wordlessly, she handed him he bandage, and he wrapped up the boy's arm. After he finished, he got up and walked to the back of the bus where a crying girl was sitting. He crouched down in the aisle, beside her.   
  
"Are you okay?" he asked gently   
  
"Hey Doctor," the burly convict called out "Get back in your seat"   
  
Dave stood up, and turned to face him, "I'm just trying to help this girl - She's hurt," he responded, then sarcastically said, "Wouldn't want to damage your hostage count, now would we?"   
  
"Dr. Malucci," Elizabeth scolded "Get back here and sit down. It would be in your best interest to listen to that man"   
  
Dave walked back to Elizabeth. He leaned over her, as he grabbed the supply bag.   
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he said quietly to her, but with much anger "Look, if you want to yell at me back at the hospital - that's fine. When we're there, you can yell as much as you like. But don't you yell at me in front of these kids. I know that you don't like me - but you have to put those feelings aside for now. We need to work together, and not let those kids see that we're against each other. Because we're the only thing that they have left."   
  
With that, he turned around and walked back to the crying girl. Elizabeth sat shocked in her seat, as Dave treated the girl. As the bus drove along, Elizabeth realized that Dave was actually right. 


	3. Two Then One

Elizabeth stood up as she stretched her arms. She walked past the convicts, to the back of the bus. She stopped, and stood next to Dave. He turned to her with questioning eyes.   
  
"I thought that you might need help," she explained   
  
He smiled and handed her some bandages, "There's a few kids over there with some scrapes." His eyes seemed to be saying 'thank you'.   
  
In response, she tipped her head and took the bandages. She went from child to child, trying to mend their wounds, as well as to comfort them. Several children cried, some expressed their fears outloud, and a few simply sat there in stunned silenece. They boh finished with the children, and made their way back to the seats. Elizabeth sat down in the front seat, and Dave sat next to her.   
  
"Now that we've got Curly Sue and Rambo back, we can get down to business," the burly man said   
  
"We gonna kill em Ed?" the skinny man asked   
  
"No," the man called Ed replied, and put his face in front of Elizabeth's, "Not yet"   
  
Ed's face was mere inches away from Elizabeth's. She could smell the tobacco and smoke on his breath. She saw that his eyes were filled with pure hatred. She wondered if he could see that her eyes were filled with fear. He pulled his face away from Elizabeth's, and stood in the middle of the aisle.   
  
"We've hit the jackpot, Tom!" Ed said to the skinny man, "It was good enough when we had the kids, but it's an added bonus getting the doctors, especially our good friend Rambo."   
  
"Ed," Dave said calmly "You know as well as I do, that my name is Dave."   
  
Elizabeth snapped her head to look at Dave. Her eyes now questioned his, with much alarm and shock. He avoided her glance, and instead looked at Ed. Ed, on the other hand, saw Elizabeth's shock.   
  
"Ah yes, Curly," Ed said looking straight at Elizabeth. "I too know Dr. Malucci. Although - I didn't know that he's a doctor now. Never thought he'd amount to that much."   
  
"You, on the other hand," Dave retorted, "Amounted to exactly what I thought you would."   
  
"How do you know him?" Elizabeth asked Dave.   
  
"We went to high school together," Dave answered quietly   
  
"Yeah, I knew the doctor way back when," Ed added, "Let's just say he wasn't the most popular...."   
  
"You certainly were, though - now weren't you?" Dave responded "But look at us now - I'm a doctor, and you're a jailbird."   
  
"Great idea - Let's look at us now, Dave. First of all, it's ex-jailbird. Fine okay, you turned your life around - you're a saint," Ed said sarcastically. "But who's got the gun, huh?"   
  
With that, Ed pulled Dave to his feet, and into a headlock. Holding him there, he put the gun to Dave's head.   
  
"You see Malucci" Ed said, not releasing his grip on Dave, "It's not a matter of who we are. It's a matter of who has power. And from the looks of it, I'm in control."   
  
"Fine, you've got me," Dave admitted "But why bother keeping the kids here?   
  
"What do you suppose I do with them, let them go?"   
  
"Yes," Dave answered firmly   
  
"And I suppose then you'd get to go too?" Ed responded   
  
"No. If you let them off - I'll stay."   
  
"You've got yourself a deal, Rambo," Ed announced, "Pull over Murray"   
  
He released Dave and pushed him into the seat across from Elizabeth, but Ed still held the gun to his head. The bus screeched to a halt, and the door opened.   
  
"Everybody up, and all of you get off the bus," Ed bellowed   
  
Both Dave and Elizabeth watched as the kids slowly got off the bus. When the last kid exited, Tom pulled Elizabeth to her feet.   
  
"That means you too, Curly." Tom said and pushed her towards the door.   
  
"No," Elizabeth said, trying to sound strong, "I won't desert him."   
  
"How sweet," Tom said cynically, "OFF!"   
  
With that, he pushed her down the bus stairs. She landed on the road, that lay beneath. Dave watched her slowly get up, as the bus lurched forward, taking him away from them. He looked at her, and the now-free children for as long as he could - until they became tiny specs. Finally he couldn't see them anymore, and he turned back to the convicts. He was now standing there, a lone man, against the band of evil villains. Would good triumph over evil? Dave hoped so, but realized that he was the only one left.......The only one left to fight. 


	4. Bus Stop

Elizabeth slowly got up, and brushed the dirt off herself. Shakily, she looked at the bus, which was getting smaller and smaller as it drove off. She put her hand to her forehead, and when she pulled her hand back it was covered in blood. She had smacked her head on the pavement, and would probably need stitches.   
  
She gathered up the children, and they walked over to a pay phone. Elizabeth dialed the number of the hospital, and after two rings, Abby picked up.   
  
"Yes, hello Abby," Elizabeth said   
  
"Elizabeth - We heard what happened. We're so glad that you're okay."   
  
"Listen Abby - I need you to get somebody over here. I've got about twenty children, some who need medical attention. We're on....." Elizabeth stopped to look at the sign "23rd street, by the convenience store."   
  
"So everybody got off the bus okay?" Abby asked   
  
"No," Elizabeth admitted, "Dave's still there. Still on the bus..." She cut herself off, and for the first time since she met him, she was worried about Dave.   
  
* * * * * *   
  
While Elizabeth and the children were trying to make their way back to the hospital, Dave was still sitting, in the first seat of the bus, gun held to his head. He swallowed, and breathed deeply. Dave never usually worried about things - he never let things get to him. But he was scared - he knew how much Ed hated him. And he knew Ed wouldn't mind at all if he ended up dead.   
  
Ed had been one of the more popular people, Dave remembered. And for some reason, he had always held a grudge against Dave. Dave racked his brain trying to think why Ed hated him, but he came up with nothing. The two had barely spoken in high school, and when they did, the remarks were always negative.   
  
"Scared, Malucci?" Ed asked cynically "Is the miraculous doctor actually afraid of me?"   
  
Dave ignored the comment. If there hadn't been a gun to his head, he would have made some kind of retort. But seeing as though Ed was in control of the trigger, he didn't want to push his luck.   
  
"Oh - so now you've taken a vow of silence? Please," Ed uttered and drew back the gun, "I know for a fact that you never shut up. So talk!"   
  
"You want me to talk?" Dave responded, glad that the gun was gone from his head, "Fine then - let me ask you a question."   
  
"Oh boy, I get interviewed by the doctor! Fine, what is it?" Ed said with much annoyance in his voice.   
  
"Why do you hate me?"   
  
"You didn't respect me. You didn't listen to me - You talked back." Ed said loathingly   
  
"You gave me no reason to respect you. Sorry that I didn't follow your rules, and I actually thought for myself"   
  
"You're just the same as you always were, Malucci. You need an attitude change," Ed said furiously, "Haven't you learned to not make me mad?"   
  
The bus swerved off the road, and a shot was fired as the bus overturned on the side of the road. 


	5. In For Repairs

"Elizabeth, you should really get that cut checked out," Abby said as she stitched a girl's arm.   
  
"I'm fine," She insisted, and went to the front desk.   
  
Elizabeth and the children had made their way back to the hospital. All of the children were now being examined to make sure that they didn't have any serious injury. Elizabeth knew that she should have someone look at the gash on her forehead, but she didn't want to bother at the moment. She wanted to go back to the bus, but that was impossible. All of a sudden, the radio began beeping - Abby answered it, and Elizabeth listened in.   
  
"MVA - that school bus with the convicts flipped over..." She heard the dispatcher say, and she gasped, "Four victims - one GSW. All critical. How many can you handle?"   
  
"We can take three. What's your ETA?" Abby asked   
  
"Two minutes - over."   
  
Abby put down the speaker, as Elizabeth gasped and sat down shocked. Dave was on that bus. Dave was injured. Dave was a critical patient, probably the gunshot wound. It could have been her - but it was Dave. And now she was even more worried about him than she had ever been. Abby walked over to her, and stood there.   
  
"Dave?" She asked with one word. It was all she needed to say.   
  
"Dave." Elizabeth nodded solemnly just as the ambulance bay's doors opened.   
  
Elizabeth bolted up to meet the patients. The first patient came in - she recognized him as Murray, the bus driver. Things were not looking good for Murray, and he was taken into a trauma room, with Kerry and Deb. The next patient came in - it was Tom, the skinny man. She was surprised to see that Tom was the one with the gunshot wound, and he was taken by Carter and Cleo. The third patient was rolled in. It was Dave, and he wasn't looking too good either. He was lying there, unconscious, covered in blood. Elizabeth went into his trauma room, along with Peter, Luka and Abby. She started his IV, and tried to assist Peter, but he stopped her   
  
"Elizabeth, you need to get that cut sutured." Peter insisted   
  
"No - I want to help."   
  
"Abby, go stitch her up." He said and turned to Elizabeth. "I don't want you working on Dave when you're bleeding from the head. Go with Abby."   
  
Elizabeth was dragged off into the adjoining exam room, where she was ordered to sit down. Abby went away for a moment, and Elizabeth looked through the glass, where she could see Dave. And despite her best efforts, she began to cry.   
  
Elizabeth considered herself a strong person, and she rarely cried. It had been such a trying day, making her so emotional - She needed to cried. She cried for herself, she cried for those children. And she cried for Dave. She cried because she felt guilty, because she was worried and scared. She wiped her eyes just as Abby walked into the room and began suturing.   
  
"How are they doing?" She asked   
  
"They're still working on the convicts." Abby said as she finished suturing. "The GSW looks pretty bad, but the other one should be okay."   
  
"And Dave?"   
  
"He just went up to surgery. There was some internal bleeding, and Dr. Benton is going to operate on him." She said quietly. "Here you go."   
  
"Thanks Abby." She said as she walked out of the exam room.   
  
As she walked, she pause for a minute outside of each of the convict's trauma rooms. She felt so much hatred toward them. Looks like they got what they deserved, she thought. But Dave, he didn't deserve this. With that, she took the elevator up to the surgical floor and got off. She walked into the room where Peter was scrubbing in. He looked up at her in surprise.   
  
"I want to scrub in." She explained   
  
"No Elizabeth - You're too involved in this case, and I cannot let you operate with a head injury." He said   
  
"Please?" She asked again.   
  
"Look, I'd let you if I could. I'm just doing what's best for Dr. Malucci. Why don't you go into the waiting room, and lie down. We'll keep you updated."   
  
She nodded and left the room. If he was calling Dave, 'Dr. Malucci', she knew that things couldn't be good. She went into the waiting room, and sat down in shock. Over in the operating room, the first incision of Dave's surgery had just been made. But here in the waiting room, Elizabeth sat filled with worry and guilt. *Would he be alright?*, she wondered as she sat there, her head in her hands. 


	6. All Around the Town

"Dammit he's in V-Fib" One of the surgeons said   
  
"Charging.......Clear." A nurse said " Still in V-Fib"   
  
"Charging again......Clear......Again......Clear." The monitor whined "Asystole."   
  
"That's it - we've done all we can. Time of death - 19:17."   
  
The OR began to clear out after the patient's time of death was announced. The patient was Tom, the skinny convict with the gunshot wound. In the neighboring OR, Murray, the driver was undergoing his operation. And in the OR next to that, Dave Malucci had just been wheeled off to recovery, his surgery a success. Peter finished up the charts from the surgery, walked off to the waiting room, and found Elizabeth Corday asleep on the couch. She woke up a few minutes later, and immediately began to question Peter.   
  
"How is he? How did the surgery go?" She asked anxiously, but with grogginess in her voice.   
  
"The surgery was a success - There was some internal bleeding, but we fixed it. He should be fine." Peter informed her   
  
"Thank God." She breathed out. She knew Peter would think it was odd how worried Elizabeth had been.   
  
"He's up in recovery - He should wake up soon if you want to talk to him." He got up and began to walk away. "It's not your fault Elizabeth." He said, turned and walked away.   
  
She let the words go through her head. *Not your Fault Elizabeth* She said over and over again, as she walked to recovery. The words still didn't ring true, no matter how many times she said them. She walked into Dave's room. He was awake, but he looked very weak. His face was pale and tired, he had several bruises on his body. His left leg was in a cast, and there was a line of stitches on his forehead, sealing up a giant gash. He nodded to acknowledge Elizabeth's presence.   
  
"Dr. Corday - How are you?" He said meekly   
  
"Just fine, actually - And you, I suppose would be quite the opposite?"   
  
"Pretty much. I bet I'll feel even worse when the morphine wears off, so I really shouldn't complain." He half-smiled. "Come sit - stay awhile."   
  
She sat down on the stool beside his bed. "Dr. Malucci - I want to apologize for my behavior today. I was rude to you, not to mention the fact that I should have stayed on the bus."   
  
"First of all - Call me Dave." He started. "Second of all, if you had been on that bus, it would have just added another injured person - You could have ended up in bad shape or even dead. And it's not like you had a choice - You were pushed off the bus. And third of all, the way I treat you, you really have no choice but to be rude. I'm a jackass, and everyone, including myself knows that. I'm trying to change, but it's taking longer than I planned."   
  
"You have changed a bit, if it's any consolation. You're not that big of a jackass - You proved that today on the bus with what you did. You weren't being selfish - You put those children before everything, even if it meant you getting hurt. Which it did...." She half laughed, then went back to being serious. "You are changing, and I hope that you keep on acting the way you did today."   
  
"Thank you." He was flattered by her compliments, "How is everyone else?"   
  
"Well, they sent Ed to Mercy - he's doing fine and in recovery. Murray is in surgery, and Tom - well Tom died. He had a gunshot wound to the heart.......Died on the table."   
  
Dave nodded. He knew that it could have been him in there. "That's about what I figured."   
  
"I do have a question." She paused, then continued, "Why was Tom shot? What happened?" Elizabeth was curious to know the reasons.   
  
"He wasn't supposed to be shot. I was." Dave blurted out. "Ed was shooting at me, when the bus swerved. The gun slipped, and he shot Tom. That's when the bus overturned."   
  
"Oh." She knew how Dave must be feeling - Lucky, but scared by his brush with death. "Well, I should let you sleep. You'll need it if you're going to be pulling a 36 hour shift tomorrow." She laughed looking at Dave's surprised face "That was a joke Dave." She said as she walked to the door.   
  
"Dr. Corday - Thank you. For putting up with me, for sticking up for me in front of Ed. Things will be different from now on." He said, meaning it.   
  
"I know Dave." She knew that a new Dave had risen from today. She turned around just before she exited the room. "Oh, and Dave - Call me Elizabeth." She smiled and left the room.   
  
From there, she went back down to the ER. The children had been picked up, and were now all at home where they belonged. She thought about how her day turned out - how strange it had been, and how her relationship with Dave had changed - for the better. She let the thoughts run through her mind, and then she looked at the board, seeing that Mark would be coming on in a few minutes. She went out to the ambulance bay, and stood there waiting for him. He finally came into sight, and she rushed over to him, wrapping her arms around him.   
  
"Elizabeth - what's with the stitches?" He said indicating her forehead. "What exactly did you do today?"   
  
"I went all around the town." She buried herself in his arms for a minute, and then smiled, looking up at his confused face, knowing that she'd have to explain herself.   
  
They parted, and walked hand in hand into the ER as Elizabeth began her story.   
  
THE END 


End file.
